Friday, May 9, 2008
The Thin Line
Oh where to begin....who thought I'd actually discipline my daughter by telling her she can't floss and will just have to have cavities. It all started Monday when we had our dentist appointments and she has a cavity on one of her baby teeth. The dentist told her she needs to start flossing and brushing twice a day and limit sugar and carbs between meals. Well that's a lot to ask for an 8 year old. Certainly at 33 I'm no example as I don't floss regularly and carbs are my favorite food group! Being an anxious child, she is so worried about it that she has made flossing a religion and asks about each snack before she puts it near her mouth. Tuesday morning she was flossing, but having trouble because she just isn't used to doing it. I tried to talk her through it, but of course everything I said was wrong. Even the dentist was wrong about where the cavity was (he said upper left, she thinks it lower right) and of course she knows better than him, a U of M graduate who has been a dentist longer than she's been alive. I'm glad she doesn't just think its me that's dumb :) So anyway this lasted about 10 minutes and a big fight so I told her to get out of the bathroom. She started crying (crying like I just removed her right arm) because she HAS to floss. My response of course was, no more flossing you will just have to have cavities. If that isn't mother of the year material I don't know what is. We ended up so late that I didn't even have time to iron and dress for work and had to drive her to school in my pj's. How can a thin line like floss make you NUTS?!?! After school, we stopped at Target and bought special kids floss sticks that glow in the dark. Of course those didn't work well either. We are now on day 5 of Operation Floss and she is becoming a champ at it. Each morning and night its floss, brush, rinse (fun new Listerine fluoride rinse for kids that turns the stuff stuck in your teeth green when you spit it out). Now she asks me daily if she'll still need to get her cavity filled because she's done such a great job. Unfortunately I tell her she will. And of course that is a whole other mess of worry about the shots and pain of a filling.
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2 comments:
Julie,
Sorry, but I was laughing throughout reading most of your post! I was laughing mostly because I can relate, not on flossing necessarily, but other things that kids can become obsessed about and also because being a mom can just be so ridiculous at times! Children have a way of pulling the worst out of us at times and yet the best! It's such an emotional journey! Anyway, I feel for you!
I am proud of Rena for being so committed! She and Caleb should get together and floss sometime, he learned about it in preschool and ever since he loves to do it! Some nights I tell him that he can't because it's too late, so put me on the worst mother of the year list as well!
Love ya! Happy flossing! :)
Alicia
Alicia,
I'm stealing your idea on responding to posts too : )
It is amazing what crazy stuff comes out of our mouths in response to our children. So funny when we tell them not to do something they are supposed to do. I was so angry at the time, but laughed out loud later when I realized what I said. Good times!!
Love,
Julie
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